Long-term study of simulator sickness: differences in EEG response due to individual sensitivity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Human Factors Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Simulator sickness is a common issue in virtual environments.
• Individual differences in susceptibility to simulator sickness are not fully understood.
• Electroencephalogram (EEG) may offer objective measures of simulator sickness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in EEG responses related to individual sensitivity to simulator sickness.
• To compare EEG data between groups with high and low simulator sickness susceptibility.
• To correlate subjective simulator sickness reports with objective EEG measures.

Main Methods:

• Two groups of subjects (sick and non-sick) were exposed to a driving simulator for 60 minutes.
• Subjective simulator sickness was assessed using a questionnaire every 5 minutes.
• EEG data was recorded and analyzed, focusing on the theta/total parameter in specific brain regions.

Main Results:

• Subjective simulator sickness scores increased linearly over time and were higher in the 'sick' group.
• Statistically significant differences in the theta/total EEG parameter were observed between the sick and non-sick groups.
• These EEG differences were localized to the frontal and parietal lobes.

Conclusions:

• EEG parameters, specifically theta/total at the frontal and parietal lobes, can differentiate individuals sensitive to simulator sickness.
• Objective EEG measures show promise for assessing simulator sickness susceptibility.
• Further research can explore using EEG for personalized simulator design and mitigation strategies.